The Hillsborough Football Disaster: Context & Consequences

This webpage enables free downloading of the updated 'press pack'-style documentation that originally appeared here in 2008 under the name "Hillsborough For 'Dummies': Facts Behind The Disaster". The updated version consists of several documents, all of which can be downloaded as separate PDF files, or as a combined package in one easy click.

We updated and changed in order to appeal to a much wider audience and the concern was that the original name would not sit well with the publishers of the "...For Dummies" publications. Additionally, media interest in the Disaster was much higher ahead of the 20th anniversary, so a fresh approach to the HFD project was called for.

Main documentation downloads

"Context & Consequences" is now an official publication with an ISBN and therefore legal inclusion in the British Libraries. The project was funded entirely through donations from all over the world, as well as a generous subsidy from CDP Print Management. We thank each and every single person who contributed to this.

All funds left over from publishing and related costs will be shared equally between the Hillsborough Family Support Group, the Hillsborough Justice Campaign and Hope For Hillsborough.

Absolutely no personal profit is being made by any party involved in this project!

HFD was published in 2009 and at that time we moved to make it clear that these documents were not meant to replace any of the excellent work already in existence, rather 'HFD' was intended to be complementary. The format is deliberately simple and as objective as could be made, steering clear of emotive language and keeping only to sourced facts and information. Although none of this information was new per se, 'HFD' was intended to be a one-stop reference guide to anyone researching the topic.

Copyright applies, so please do not host this information elsewhere without prior consent. That said, we actively encourage you to spread the news that this information exists!

Naturally, the superb report produced by the Hillsborough Independent Panel is considerably more comprehensive and revealing. Anyone researching the Hillsborough Football Disaster would do well to use that report as their encyclopaedia. HFD remains a condensed version of the context behind, and consequences of, the Disaster and we will forever be indebted to the Panel for its outstanding work.

* Fair warning: the video contains some images that some people might find distressing. We are particularly keen that survivors be aware that scenes of the crowds in the pens might trigger flashbacks. Personal discretion is advised.

If you have any questions, comments or feedback please do not hesitate to contact us. All enquiries, whether from general readers or specific media sources, will be responded to as quickly as possible.